Seòmar agus comataidhean

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1434 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-36645

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to strengthen enforcement powers or penalties for illegal or excessive sewage spills.

Question reference: S6W-36644

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to publishing real-time data on sewage spills, in a similar way to other parts of the UK.

Question reference: S6W-36646

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) environmental and (b) public health impact of the 24,398 sewage spills reported in 2024.

Question reference: S6W-36642

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what immediate action it will take to reduce the volume and frequency of sewage spills into Scotland’s rivers and coastal waters.

Question reference: S6W-36641

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of sewage spills on Scotland’s (a) rivers, (b) beaches and (c) tourism economy.

Question reference: S6W-36126

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 7 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its procedures are for vetting and reviewing ministerial memoirs.

Paragraph 12.1 of the Scottish Ministerial Code (Scottish Ministerial Code: 2024 Edition - gov.scot) requires former Ministers intending to publish their memoirs to submit the draft manuscript in good time before publication to the Permanent Secretary and to conform to the principles set out in the Radcliffe Report of 1976. On receipt of any such manuscript the Permanent Secretary, supported as necessary by other senior Scottish Government officials, will conduct a review in accordance with that arrangement.

Question reference: S6W-36276

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what processes are in place for the reporting of cybersecurity incidents across the public sector.

The Scottish Government has in place a Notifiable Scottish Public Sector Cyber Incidents Procedure. This is a voluntary process which encourages Scottish Public Sector bodies to report cyber incidents to the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre. The process also encourages reporting of cyber incidents to the UK Government National Cyber Security Centre and Police Scotland where appropriate.

The Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre (SC3) provides a centrally coordinated, multi-agency response capability and expertise in national incident response and to support any Public Sector organisation which is victim to a cyber security incident.

Question reference: S6W-36277

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what public sector organisations have reported cybersecurity breaches in the last three years.

Since 2022, the Scottish Government has been notified of 38 cyber incidents under our Notifiable Scottish Public Sector Cyber Incidents Procedure. This is a voluntary notification procedure. The National Cyber Security Centre advises government departments to withhold specific information that may provide insight into the likelihood of successful attacks, and the Scottish Government follows this advice. The Scottish Government will therefore not provide further details as this may cause substantial harm to the effective conduct of public affairs and the security of our public services.

Question reference: S6W-35961

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review current laws on cyberbullying to ensure that teachers are adequately protected from online harassment, including AI-generated abuse.

I am aware of concerns about gaps in the law relating to illegal content that is distributed online, including where this amounts to harassment or abuse of an individual. The power to legislate on matters pertaining to the regulation of internet services is reserved to the UK Parliament. With regard to the substantive criminal law relating to harassment and bullying, there are a range of general criminal offences that can be used to prosecute harassment and bullying which protect everyone, including teachers, where this occurs in any place including online. These include stalking and threatening or abusive behaviour offences. There is also a more specific offence of misuse of a public electronic communications network.

The Scottish Ministers keep the criminal law that sits within the powers of the Scottish Parliament under continual review to ensure it is fit for purpose. Any new laws focused on regulating the internet would be for the UK Parliament to consider.

Question reference: S6W-36560

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding any fiscal risks posed by expanding the cost of devolved benefits.